UP man, with LeT links arrested in Kashmir
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Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Munir Khan said they have arrested Sandeep Kumar Sharma from Muzzafarnagar, UP and he is currently being questioned. Image courtesy: ANI
In a rare incident of its kind, Jammu and Kashmir police arrested a resident of Utter Pradesh, who was allegedly part of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) module in the Valley involved in attacks on security forces and bank robberies cases.
Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Munir Khan said they busted a LeT module by arresting Sandeep Kumar, alias Adil, son of Ram Sharma, a resident of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh and Muneeb Shah of Kulgam district in south Kashmir.
From attacks on army convoys to weapon snatching and bank robberies, Sharma assisted LeT to stabilise their module in south Kashmir. The IGP said Kumar was a close aide of slain Lashkar-e-Toiba commander Bashir Lashkari and was involved in the militant attack on policemen in Achabal that left six cops, including a SHO dead on June 16.
“Sundeep was with Bashir Lashkari when the latter was killed during an encounter (on July 1). He was staying with Bashir in the same house where the encounter happened,” the IGP said in a press conference, here.
Khan said that Kumar was detained for questioning after he was rescued from the house where Bashir Lashkari was killed. “During the investigation, it was revealed that Sandeep, along with other individuals, hatched a criminal conspiracy to provide shelter and transport terrorists for carrying terror strikes. The investigation is in progress,” he said.
The LeT took the help of Kumar to loot ATMs and carry bank robberies in south Kashmir. Kumar had arrived in Kashmir in January this year to loot ATMs taking advantage of the situation in the Valley. He got away for long as the suspicion never fell on him owing to the fact that he was a non-local.
“Over a period of time, Sandeep became a hardened militant. He was also involved in cases of weapon snatching,” the IGP Khan said and added Kumar is a criminal and got in touch with LeT through one Shakoor of Sopore.
It is for the first time in 28 years of insurgency that any person from non-Kashmiri man has been found to be involved in terror in the Valley. Sources said police was now trying to find out whether any other non-local was part of this or any other module.
“The involvement of a non-Muslim and a non-Kashmiri in militant activities in the Valley is a cause of huge concern. We apprehend some more criminal minded people from outside state may have joined the terror organisations,” a senior police officer said.
Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Munir Khan said they busted a LeT module by arresting Sandeep Kumar, alias Adil, son of Ram Sharma, a resident of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh and Muneeb Shah of Kulgam district in south Kashmir.
From attacks on army convoys to weapon snatching and bank robberies, Sharma assisted LeT to stabilise their module in south Kashmir. The IGP said Kumar was a close aide of slain Lashkar-e-Toiba commander Bashir Lashkari and was involved in the militant attack on policemen in Achabal that left six cops, including a SHO dead on June 16.
“Sundeep was with Bashir Lashkari when the latter was killed during an encounter (on July 1). He was staying with Bashir in the same house where the encounter happened,” the IGP said in a press conference, here.
Khan said that Kumar was detained for questioning after he was rescued from the house where Bashir Lashkari was killed. “During the investigation, it was revealed that Sandeep, along with other individuals, hatched a criminal conspiracy to provide shelter and transport terrorists for carrying terror strikes. The investigation is in progress,” he said.
The LeT took the help of Kumar to loot ATMs and carry bank robberies in south Kashmir. Kumar had arrived in Kashmir in January this year to loot ATMs taking advantage of the situation in the Valley. He got away for long as the suspicion never fell on him owing to the fact that he was a non-local.
“Over a period of time, Sandeep became a hardened militant. He was also involved in cases of weapon snatching,” the IGP Khan said and added Kumar is a criminal and got in touch with LeT through one Shakoor of Sopore.
It is for the first time in 28 years of insurgency that any person from non-Kashmiri man has been found to be involved in terror in the Valley. Sources said police was now trying to find out whether any other non-local was part of this or any other module.
“The involvement of a non-Muslim and a non-Kashmiri in militant activities in the Valley is a cause of huge concern. We apprehend some more criminal minded people from outside state may have joined the terror organisations,” a senior police officer said.